Clinton native makes his mark on LA politics

Politics have a long history in Clinton. Now a Clintonian is part of the political scene in Los Angeles.

Michael Bonin, son of Edward J. and Mary Beth (Constantino) Bonin, won a seat on the Los Angeles City Council last week.

Bonin, a 1985 graduate of Clinton High School, is no stranger to politics. He was class president in his junior and seniors year, and served as the student representative to the School Committee. He also has politics in his blood. His grandfather was the late William Constantino, who was a former state representative before moving to Clinton District Court. His uncle, William Constantino Jr., also was a state representative.

However, Bonin did not plan to follow his famous relatives into politics. In fact, the student athlete, who played football for a few years under “the legendary Archie Cataldi,” covered sports for the Daily Item and the Worcester Telegram before embarking on a career as a reporter.

He graduated from Harvard University, before beginning a career as a reporter in Springfield. He eventually chose to get more involved in the issues.

“I loved being a reporter, seeing different places and watching things up close,” Bonin said last week. “But, at a certain point, I felt I needed to get off the sidelines and contribute more directly. It really coincided with getting sober about 18 years ago. I felt very fortunate to get sober and felt it was an obligation of my recovery to participate.”

Bonin became a congressional aide, then chief of staff to a Los Angeles city councilor, whose seat he will now fill, when he is sworn in this summer. Bonin said he was amazed to learn he won every precinct in the district.

“My work has fallen into two categories: As an activist and a community organizer, which has focused on social justice and civil rights; and in government, which has focused on improving neighborhoods and moving Los Angeles forward with better jobs and mass transit,” Bonin said. “As an activist, I have worked a lot to help low-wage workers organize, or get better pay or benefits. I’ve helped fight for same-sex marriage in California. It frustrated me that I can get married where I was born, but not where I live.

“I’ve worked for immigration reform so hard-working immigrants who lack documents can come out of the shadows,” he added. “And I’ve worked a lot to help address homelessness, which is a horrible problem that haunts me.”

Working for three different elected officials over the years helped Bonin build and improve parks and community centers, create youth art programs, protect the environment, fight gang violence and make the city more business friendly.

“I am very excited that my district is now home to an emerging tech sector that includes Google, YouTube, Viddy, Snapchat and a lot more,” Bonin said. “And I am very encouraged that we are finally building mass transit and a bicycle infrastructure so that that Los Angeles will no longer be known as the car-obsessed city of traffic jams.”

Bonin’s district is huge by Massachusetts political standards, dwarfing both his grandfather’s district of about 20,000 and his uncle’s district of 40,000. His council district has about 270,000 people, and runs from the Santa Monica Mountains to the California coast, including Venice Beach, the Getty Museum and Los Angeles International Airport.

“It is huge, it is busy and it is a very demanding job,” Bonin said.

“I think my grandfather would be very proud and happy that I followed in his footsteps. He was a very quiet, humble man, with tremendous integrity and a strong sense of commitment to the community,” he said. “My Uncle Bill has those same traits. I’d like to try to emulate them in many ways,” though, he admitted, “I’m a lost cause on the quiet part.”

Still, memories of growing up in Clinton — good and bad — remain with him.

“My fondest memories of Clinton are varied. Growing up, Pearl Street was a real tight family,” he recalled. “We hung out together, played together, took care of each other. It was an extended family. I loved Saturdays and Clinton Gaels football games at Fuller Field. I still remember the creative places Tim Coyne, Scott Young, Kevin Burgwinkle and I used to find to hang out. As a young kid, I remember hiking with my dad near the Clinton dam, or serving as an altar boy at St. John’s. I still think that is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen.”

Bonin said he still loves Clinton.

“When my sister, Maureen, got sick a few years ago, Clinton rallied to her side and supported her and my family. It was a remarkable outpouring of love and friendship. Whether it was the comedy benefit at Town Hall, or the road race and dinner at The Old Timer, or taking meals to Maureen and sitting with her, Clinton demonstrated what community was all about. I will never forget it.”

Not all the Clinton memories are easy.

“I’ve got to admit, it was tough growing up gay in Clinton in the 1970s and 1980s. It was tough growing up gay anywhere back then, but a small, conservative Catholic town was a tough place to be myself,” he recalled. “It wasn’t until college that I felt OK in my own skin.”

Now, Bonin has a lot of reminders of Clinton in Los Angeles.

“Jim Janda, my Clinton High School ’85 classmate, who grew up on Prescott Street, is here in Los Angeles and helped on my campaign. Deane Leaventhworth, who grew up in Clinton, is a cable executive here and has been a longtime supporter. His mother, Edna, and I worked together at the Big L Drugstore on High Street when I was in high school,” Bonin said. “And one of my staff members, Nate Kaplan, who grew up in Hubbardston, has Clinton ties. His dad used to own a dress store on Church Street where my mom used to shop.”

Many people from Clinton donated to his campaign and Bonin said he wanted to thank them.

“Friends from high school, friends of my sister, friends of my parents: Clinton really showed me a lot of love,” he said.

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